Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Interview of Toby Gati

Aired November 09, 2001 - 10:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEMMER: As the war moves forward in Central Asia, the United Nations getting ready to meet this in New York. A significant meeting too. Let's talk more about it with Toby Gati, a former senior vice president with the U.N. Association, a non-profit organization that does policy research on the U.N. and global issues. Good morning to you.

TOBY GATI, FORMER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION: Good morning.

HEMMER: I want to take you back, earlier in the week, Osama bin Laden's latest message. In it, he directs a lot of criticism towards the U.N. Calls Kofi Annan a criminal at one point. How will this be treated this weekend when these leaders get together?

GATI: Well, let's just recall, a month or so ago, the U.N. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its many actions around the world in supporting peace and helping people. And countries around the world have used the U.N. as a place it get together, to meet, to resolve problems, including the Middle East problems. And so I think there will be a lot of people who feel a heightened sense of danger, but also may feel that Osama bin Laden has really -- by dividing the world into them and us, and putting the U.N. in the "them," -- has gone really quite far, perhaps too far.

HEMMER: Yeah, if that's the case, then, how does the U.N. respond? What's the message, ultimately, after the meetings this week and concluding on Sunday?

GATI: Well, the U.N. has responded with several very strong resolutions on terrorism. And I'm sure the meetings this week, President Bush will be there, meeting with 11 national leaders and many other meetings, will come out very strongly against terrorism, not defining terrorism, because that's been a problem over the years, but against acts of terrorism, including, of course, hijacking of airplanes. So I think the international community will reaffirm its opposition to terrorism.

HEMMER: And, in the sense, if there were any hanging threads or hanging strings on this issue, does this bring more of a united front to New York?

GATI: Well, I think the statements by Osama bin Laden really clarify that this isn't an issue of lets have a compromise on the Middle East or let's make a little bit of concessions, or the U.S. should be more sensitive to Muslim issues, he really has put down the gauntlet and said, you're on the other side, called the U.N. a "tool of crime." And I think this will make people really have to take a stand more in support of the institutions that are aimed at reconciliation, rather than polarization.

HEMMER: So, you see a response, then, being more aggressive rather than passive, as we have seen at some points in the past?

GATI: I think it has to be. The Arab countries have used the U.N., for example, on Middle East issues, but any U.N. resolution ever passed that supports a resolution to the Middle East problem, has reasserted, for example, Israel's right to exist. And that's something that Osama bin Laden, for example, could never accept.

HEMMER: Now, you mention Israel. Let's talk about the Middle East back in September. A little known fact here. President Bush had plans to meet with Yasser Arafat at the original meeting back in September at the U.N. It never happened because of the attacks on 9- 11. Do you anticipate -- nothing set up right now -- do you anticipate a -- what some people call an "accidental handshake" between the president -- President Bush and Yasser Arafat?

GATI: If that were to happen, that would be the most positive signal on Middle East issues. It would be news. But I think the president -- Bush has made clear, several times, that you're with us or you're not with us. And he's telling Arafat, in effect, that coming to the White House, meeting the U.S. President, is not something that happens just because you want it to happen. It has to happen when concrete acts are taken. And I think it's a signal to Arafat. He has it wake up a little bit.

HEMMER: But given that, I'm not suggesting a visit to the White House, but perhaps a meeting, some sort of dialogue, in New York. Would it not be convenient, or is it not the step the U.S. wants to take.

GATI: I think, at this particular moment, it's not what the U.S. wants it do, you but I think it could go one way or another. And, it would be a signal that, again, that president has made clear on many occasions, we are not opposed to establishment of a Palestinian state, even. And the question is really, the war on terrorism and what is your stand on that. And that really has focused everyone's attention.

Remember, these leaders will also be going down to ground zero, and they will get a chance to see what actually Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda and those groups have done. So, I think it's going to be a wake up call for many different countries, and a chance to reaffirm support for an institution that's really done a quite -- good job in the last couple of months, certainly under this secretary general.

HEMMER: And as far as the U.S. is concerned, what you point out at the end may be the most critical point of the entire weekend. Because leaders in New York have always said go down see it. See it for yourselves, and you can see the devastation that we're talking about. GATI: That's right. And the U.N., you know, is engaged on terrorist issues, but coming down the Pike, and everybody knows this, is going to be a debate towards the end of the year on Iraq. And on sanctions. And you know, that's another point of great debate in the United States. What do you do about Iraq. So the U.N. is engaged on that as well, and that will be a subject.

HEMMER: Wish we had more time. It's a big world and a lot going on right now. Toby Gati, thanks for coming by today, appreciate it. Again, the president will speak tomorrow, at the U.N., Saturday, and we will have that speech for you when it happens.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com